Customer Reviews

Not Everyone Is Nice: Helping Children Learn Caution with Strangers (Let's Talk)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a great children's book, teaching children about the potential danger represented by strangers in a way that is very entertaining and not at all scary.
The prior reviewer neatly summarized the story line, so I won't retype the same things. What I will add is that I got this book for my nephew and it turned out to be the perfect gift-- he enjoys the story and the colorful pictures, yet at the same time he is learning a very important lesson. Every time we get to the part in the book where the little girl approaches the stranger in the car, my nephew tells me "that's a no-no." He doesn't seem scared or anxious, yet he's learned the important central lesson of the book.
One of the co-authors is a psychologist and she's obviously taken great pains to make sure the tone of the book is exactly right for young readers. Included also, for parents, is a list of safety tips, which my sister, as a first-time parent, found extremely useful.
Before I read the book, I worried that it might be too serious and intimating for children, but having seen it, I'm a big fan. I'll probably buy several more copies as gifts for other children we know.

Teaching children to be cautious around strangers cannot be stressed enough. This book does an invaluable service in helping parents address issues of what to do if approached by a stranger and safety steps the children can take. It is NEVER too early to teach children about safety. Sadly, in some worst case scenarios, the point becomes moot. This book is a good preventive tool.

The story focusses on a little girl who is nearly kidnapped by a stranger. She is easily misled into thinking he is a nice man. The book provides parents, educators and others with a forum to discuss why not everybody is nice and preventive steps one can take to stack the safety odds in their favor.

Making safety talks a regular part of one's lives and routines will ultimately save a lot of lives and also provide tools to build a safer world.

In today's world, it is very important to speak to children about safety and strangers. How do you begin such discussions with young children? Much information exists to help parents teach children what to do in dangerous situations. Parents should begin teaching children about safety at a very young age.

The book, "Not Everyone Is Nice," gives parents an opportunity to discuss stranger safety with young children. The story is about a little girl who is almost kidnapped by a stranger. The story explains that there are many people in this world who are nice, but there are also some who are not. The book includes some safety tips for children and parents.

MyParenTime.com recommends this book -- it gives parents a great opportunity to discuss stranger safety with their children. If parents make safety discussions a part of their child's everyday lives, they will be become informed and empowered...and not afraid to discuss their own safety as they grow.

I just received this and I'm confused by the positive reviews. I think the book was a good idea, but the authors needed a merciless editor. The book is WAY too long: 20 pages with 80 words on some pages, practically a term paper, a painful one. The book is recommended for ages 4-8, but the drawings and language are more suited for 3-5 year olds; in fact I found the language down right condescending (babyish). There's a weird lack of cohesion about the whole book, like the authors hadn't quite figured out what they wanted to say or who they wanted to say it to. This book isn't appropriate for anyone.

My daughter (just turned 4) was not scared by reading this book and could relate to the little girl. She had a lot of questions which is a very good thing as it got us talking about strangers. The book also has helpful suggestions for kids and parents in the back. Whether you buy a book or discuss this issue on your own the following fact from the back cover made me realize how VERY IMPORTANT this topic is: "Of more than 800,000 children reported missing each year (2,000 a day), 52,800 are abducted by strangers (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)".

I don't know...I have an almost-4 year old. Maybe I am struggling with the transition from children's books where kids wander off and handle themselves alone (Goldilocks), or they save the day (Lazytown), or they identify nice men by the colors they wear (Dr. Seuss's Mr. Brown and Mr. Black). My child didn't understand -- even after two readings of this book -- that Mr. Green was not a nice man and was trying to deceive the child in the book. The analogy to beautiful but harmful sea creatures was a good one. I have tried to reinforce that message. The situation on the street corner wasn't scary enough to make any impact. After reading the book twice, my child still saw no problem with accepting the candy from Mr. Green. Instead of this book, we are watching (repeatedly) our newly purchased Safe Side DVD. Because of that fabulous DVD, I think the concepts are finally sinking in.

My main problem with this book is that it is based on the incorrect assumption that strangers are primarily responsible for sexual abuse and abduction of children. Most offenders are people a child knows, most often family members. When an individual is looking for children to abuse, they often become friends with the family and child before beginning to abuse. Including information about strangers is useful, but focusing on that possibility leaves a child vulnerable to sexual preditors that s/he knows.

Probably a little too "nice" for todays generation, my 6yr old probably needs more scare tactics, she didn't understand how people can hurt you and that is hard to explain as a parent. Having said that this is still a well written book that uses examples that my daughter could relate to.

We also bought the "Stranger Safety" DVD. I would read a book as well as show the movie to reinforce the need for stranger safety.

ONE OF THE BEST APPROACHES I HAVE READ FOR THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS YOU NEED TO REACH KIDS WITH IN DEMONSTRATING STRANGER DANGER.

Excellent book for parents teaching children about the dangers of talking to strangers!!!